Programme - Analytica Room, Rotorua Energy Events Centre Apiculture New Zealand
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Programme
Analytica Room, Rotorua Energy Events Centre
https://vuw.zoom.us/j/95440278739
9am – 4:30pm
Schedule
Session 1: Moderator: Phil Lester, Victoria University
9:00 Welcome Phil Lester, Victoria University
9:05 TBA Karin Kos, CEO, Apiculture NZ
9:25 Where is New Zealand on the global Ben Phiri, Ministry for Primary Industries
apicultural demographics scale?
9:40 Comparative toxicity of imidacloprid and *Felicia Keuh Tai, Plant and Food Research
dimethoate to solitary ground-nesting bees & University of Auckland
and honey bees
9:55 Metal incorporation into honeybee brains: Megan Grainger, The University of
at what cost to the hive? Waikato
10:10-10:30 Break (20 minutes)
Session 2: Moderator: Evan Brenton-Rule, Ministry for Primary Industries
10:30 The Potential of spectroscopy and NMR Katherine Holt, Massey University
as tools in classifying Aotearoa’s unique
honeys
10:45 The ABAtE project, bacteriophages for Heather Hendrickson, Massey University
eradicating AFB in NZ.
11:00 Effect of honey bee abundance on *Grant Fale, Plant and Food Research &
foraging behaviour of New Zealand native The University of Waikato
bees on mānuka flowers
11:15 Mite Monitoring - Measure & Manage Rae Butler, Bee Smart Breeding
11:30 ApiWellbeing: bee viruses, genomics of Hayley Pragert
American foulbrood (Paenibacillus
larvae) and extension materials for
beekeepers.
11:45 Do newly emerged workers acquire Michelle Taylor, Plant and Food Research
atypical gut bacteria from sick nurse bees?
12:00 Beekeeping outside of the box Ashley Mortensen, Plant and Food
Research
12:05-1:00 Lunch (60 minutes)
Session 3: Moderator: Grant Fale, Plant and Food Research
1:00 TBA Jane Lorimer, NZ Beekeeping Inc
21:20 How do herbicide & antibiotic exposures *Tessa Hiscox, University of Cantebury
affect Paenibacillus polymyxa’s potential
as a biocontrol agent of Apis mellifera
American Foulbrood disease?
1:35 Prevalence of Varroa destructor at honey *Erin Steed, Plant and Food Research &
bee mating sites The University of Waikato
1:50 The Foster method: Utilisation of a dual- John Mackay, dnature
target qPCR assay to detect clinically
relevant American Foulbrood infections
by rapid and non-invasive eDNA
sampling means
2:05 Behavioral and physiological markers of *Revati Vispute, Plant and Food Research
stress in western honey bees & University of Auckland
2:20 The secret lives of backyard bees: Andrew Cridge, Scion
monitoring seasonal pollen sources of
urban honeybees
2:35 Aiding and ABAtE-ing: Alternative Host *Joanne Turnbull, Massey University
Bacteriophages to prevent American
Foulbrood
2:50-3:10 Break (20 minutes)
Session 4: Management Moderator: John Mackay, dnature
3:10 Foraging activity shake up Sarah Cross, Plant and Food Research
3:25 Biocontrol of giant willow aphid: an Stephanie Sopow, Scion
update on the operational phase of the
programme
3:40 Building Bee Capacity in NZ Linda Newstrom-lloyd, Trees for Bees
Trust
3:55 From soil to solution: isolating *Danielle Kok, Massey University
bacteriophages from the environment to
combat AFB
4:10 You have to see it to believe it – Gertje Petersen, Abacusbio, FutureBees
Decoding bee activity patterns during
pollination placement in cherry orchards
4:25 Closing Remarks Ashley Mortensen, Plant and Food
Research
3Abstracts
Session 1
Where is New Zealand on the global apicultural demographics scale?
Ben Phiri
Ministry for Primary Industries
The study compared New Zealand’s apicultural demographics to that of other countries
worldwide. New Zealand honey yield in 2010 was 4.7 tons/100 km2, which compared well
with that of Europe at 4.8 tons/100 km2. However, it was higher at the apiary level,
producing 3.3 tons/100 colonies while Europe produced 1.6 tons/100 colonies. The median
number of colonies in a 4 km radius in 2020 for New Zealand was 22 but was higher in
North Island at (24) and lower in South Island (16). No comparable neighbouring apiary
counts were available for other countries in published literature.
Comparative toxicity of imidacloprid and dimethoate to solitary ground-nesting bees
and honey bees
*Felicia Kueh Tai1,2, Mateusz Jochym1, Ashley N Mortensen1, Jacqueline Beggs2, Grant
Northcott1, David Pattemore1,2
1: The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand
2: School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
The current practice of using Apis mellifera as a surrogate for non-Apis bees in pesticide
risk assessments is questionable considering the differences in life-history traits. We
conducted acute oral and contact bioassays for Leioproctus paahaumaa (a solitary ground-
nesting bee) and A. mellifera, using a neonicotinoid (imidacloprid) and organophosphate
(dimethoate) pesticides. Leioproctus paahaumaa is highly sensitive to imidacloprid.
Furthermore, the proposed safety factor of 10, applied to honey bee endpoints, did not
cover the interspecific sensitivity difference. These findings highlight the need for more
comparative multi-species toxicity studies to ensure regulatory pesticide risk assessment
frameworks are protective of all pollinating bees.
Metal incorporation into honeybee brains: at what cost to the hive?
Megan Grainger, Amber Bell
School of Science, The University of Waikato
Increasing anthropogenic activity is resulting in higher concentrations of available metals
within the environment. Bees may inadvertently take metals back to the hive where they
are unable to break down, causing accumulation. This work will be a multi-tiered, multi-
generational investigation that combines experimental (lab and field) and observational
data to explore how metals interact with honeybees at the cellular, individual bee and
colony levels. Spatial elemental mapping will investigate the distribution of metals within
the brain and data will be compared to changes in gene expression. This research is funded
by a Marsden Fast-Start grant and will begin later this year.
4Session 2:
The Potential of spectroscopy and NMR as tools in classifying Aotearoa’s unique
honeys
K.A. Holt1, M. Waterland2, L. Mowbray2, T. Takeuchi2, P. Edwards2
1. School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, PB11222, Palmerston North 4442
2. School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, PB11222, Palmerston North 4442
Currently, the only standard for classifying NZ (non-Mānuka) honeys uses pollen profiles
and physical and organoleptic properties. Recently, international research teams have had
success in applying spectroscopic methods to classification of monofloral honey types.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has also shown promise. We have analysed >80
samples of monofloral NZ honeys from 8 different varieties with spectroscopy and NMR.
Preliminary results demonstrate that certain NZ honeys can be clearly separated on the
basis of their spectroscopic and/or NMR analyses. This presentation will discuss results to
date, the implications for honey analysis and quality control, and our plans for ongoing
research.
The ABAtE project, bacteriophages for eradicating AFB in NZ.
Heather Hendrickson, Jo Turnbull, Danielle Kok
School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland
American Foulbrood is a devastating bacterial pathogen of honeybees. The Active
Bacteriophages for AFB Eradication (ABAtE) project has progressed the goal of
discovering and sequencing bacteriophages that can prevent AFB infection in the hive by
destroying the pathogen Paenibacillus larvae before it initiates infection. We have
discovered 33 of these bacteriophages in New Zealand and we are in the process of
sequencing and annotating these bacteriophages in order to understand their biology. We
have also partnered with APIWellBeing and have expanded the diversity of bacterial
pathogens that we have tested from 8 to 30. The majority of our bacteriophages are able to
infect many of the NZ pathogens that cause AFB but two isolates, both from the south
island, have proved recalcitrant to bacteriophage infection. We will report on our efforts to
use applied evolution techniques that encourage bacteriophage recombination to overcome
these resistant strains and improve our bacteriophage stocks.
5Effect of honey bee abundance on foraging behaviour of New Zealand native bees on
mānuka flowers
*Fale, G. 1,2, Painting, C.J.2, Sainsbury, J.1, Pattemore, D.1,3, Broussard, M.1, Mortensen,
A.N.1
1. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, New Zealand
2. Te Aka Mātuatua School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
3. School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
The effect of introduced honey bees is complex, especially when considering the economic
benefits of honey bee pollination and honey production. Competition between honey bees
and native fauna is unavoidable and likely to occur more with species with similar resource
requirements, traits and behaviours, such as native bee species. This study investigates the
effect of honey bee abundance on the foraging behaviour of native Leioproctus bees on
mānuka flowers. If competition is present, we expect to observe interference competition
and exploitative competition that interplay to expose niche partitioning. Results from the
2020/2021 mānuka flowering season will be presented.
Mite Monitoring - Measure & Manage
Rae Butler
Bee Smart Breeding
Mite Monitoring Measure and Manage Project aim is to provide a platform which allows
beekeepers to anonymously record the following: -Real time mite infestation levels -
Treatments utilised and timeframe. The platform would feedback the following
information to the beekeeper: -Individual historic mite levels to any given site -Potential
exponential Mite Population Growth (MPG) within their sites - Anonymised mite levels on
a grid map display in their area -Treatment, treatment-free management options - Mite
resistant and treatment malfunction criteria. The platform would also provide baseline
information to: -Varroa research projects -Treatment manufacturers
ApiWellbeing: bee viruses, genomics of American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae)
and extension materials for beekeepers.
Hayley Pragert, Richard Hall
Ministry for Primary Industries, Biosecurity New Zealand
The ApiWellbeing project at the Ministry for Primary Industries runs from 2019 to 2022.
Progress on the development of molecular tests for honey bee viruses will be presented, as
well as progress on sequencing the genomes of 300 Paenibacillus larvae from around New
Zealand. The project is also creating resources for beekeepers to enhance their knowledge
of bee biosecurity.
6Do newly emerged workers acquire atypical gut bacteria from sick nurse bees?
Michelle Taylor
The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand
Newly emerged honeybee workers (NEWs) acquire typical communities of gut bacteria
from nurse bees and their faeces. We hypothesise that nurse bees with a compromised gut
cause NEWs to develop atypical communities of gut bacteria, and that this influences their
physical development. Nurse bees were fed oxytetracycline, an antibiotic used to control
American foulbrood and known to reduce gut bacteria. The gut bacteria within NEWs were
identified using NGS. Results will be discussed along with the implications for colony
health.
Beekeeping outside of the box
Ashley N Mortensen, Melissa Broussard, James P Sainsbury
The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand
The foraging activity of a honey bee colony is dynamic and influenced by both internal and
external factors, with internal drivers being less well understood. A novel colony
preparation (microcolonies) has been suggested to increase pollination efficacy for
stonefruit in Australia. In the spring/summer of 2020–21, we empirically assessed aspects
of microcolony physiology to identify potential drivers that could increase pollination
potential of honey bee colonies. Our aim was to determine if microcolony production is a
practical management practice for beekeeping and/or placement in orchards. Results and
future steps will be discussed.
7Session 3:
How do herbicide & antibiotic exposures affect Paenibacillus polymyxa’s potential as
a biocontrol agent of Apis mellifera American Foulbrood disease?
Tessa Hiscox, Sophie Van Hamelsveld, Jack Heinemann
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury
Could herbicides be leading to more infectious disease in bees? We have found that
herbicides can make bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Herbicides are used in large quantities
in New Zealand, and bees are exposed to them due to glyphosate being detected in honey.
Using Paenibacillus polymyxa as a model for American Foulbrood disease, we are testing
for evidence of an interaction between antibiotics, such as produced by plants and
honeybees, and herbicides, that could lead to more disease outbreaks in hives.
Paenibacillus polymyxa may also provide a biocontrol alternative to antibiotics in treating
American foulbrood and similar bee infections. Therefore, we are also testing whether the
antibiotics it produces remain effective when herbicides are around.
Prevalence of Varroa destructor at honey bee mating sites
*Erin Steed1,2, Chrissie J Painting2, Grant Fale1,2, James P Sainsbury1, Ashley N
Mortensen1
1. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand
2. Te Aka Mātuatua School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Honey bee mating sites, known as drone congregation areas (DCAs), are areas where
males from colonies in the surrounding environment gather in large numbers to mate with
queens. They are found 10–15 m in the air, contain males from multiple colonies, and are
difficult to detect from the ground. Preliminary work has demonstrated a potential
correlation between the prevalence of Varroa destructor on drones at DCAs and the V.
destructor infestation rates of nearby managed colonies. This work will continued to
determine if DCAs can predict the V. destructor infestation pressure in a region (in both
managed and feral colonies).
The Foster method: Utilisation of a dual-target qPCR assay to detect clinically
relevant American Foulbrood infections by rapid and non-invasive eDNA sampling
means.
John F Mackay1, Rebecca Hewitt1, Tammy Waters1,2, John Scandrett3
1. dnature diagnostics & research; 2. ESR; 3. Scandrett Rural
Clinical signs of American Foulbrood (AFB) can be difficult to diagnose and the increase
in new beekeepers means many may never have seen these signs first-hand. If taking
samples, hives must be dismantled or otherwise disrupted to collect samples, often
necessitating multiple vists. Here we describe the Foster method – using environmental
DNA means to rapidly sample hives and provide quantification data that indicate likely
clinical levels of AFB present. The merits and questions still to be answered by this
approach will be discussed.
8Behavioral and physiological markers of stress in western honey bees
*Revati Vispute1,2, Ashley N Mortensen1, Anthony JR Hickey2, David Pattemore1,2
1: The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand
2: School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Honey bees likely undergo stress in densely populated apiaries as a result of inter-colony
competition. Furthermore, overpopulation of an area with honey bees may negatively
affect the regional ecosystem. To detect the physiological and behavioral markers of
density-related stress in honey bee colonies, we hypothesize increased male reproductive
output, increased energetic costs, and investigate heat shock protein as a potential marker
of stress. We aim to define markers for early identification of density-related stress to
allow beekeepers to take action early and maximize the health and productivity of their
colonies. Particularly in the context of high-value honey production.
The secret lives of backyard bees: monitoring seasonal pollen sources of urban
honeybees
Andrew G Cridge, Otto Hyink, Karen F. Armstrong, Tom W. R. Harrop, & Peter K
Dearden
Laboratory for Evolution and Development, Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago
To identify on which flowers backyard honeybees (Apis mellifera) forage, we collected
pollen from approximately 20 hives located across Dunedin during the 2019/2020 season.
Hives sites included residential, semi-rural, and town belt locations. Pollen samples were
collected over a two-day window at three weekly intervals across the season using internal
pollen traps. Pollen samples were identified and quantified using DNA barcoding and
microscopy. I will present some early results from this study, indicating the variation in the
types of pollen collected across colonies, even from hives sited in the same location.
Aiding and ABAtE-ing: Alternative Host Bacteriophages to prevent American
Foulbrood
*Joanne Turnbull, Danielle Kok, Heather Hendrickson
School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland
The ABAtE project at Massey University is developing a treatment to protect healthy
beehives from American foulbrood (AFB), using bacteriophages (phages) which kill the
causative bacterial pathogen Paenibacillus larvae. I am working with NZ-native strains of
the non-pathogenic Paenibacillus polymyxa, to identify an appropriate alternative host to
amplify phages for our end product, and to find phages specific to P. polymyxa that may
also be able to kill P. larvae. In addition, after evolving P. larvae phages for improved
infection and killing of P. larvae, I am now investigating the genomic changes that have
occurred in the evolved phages.
9Session 4:
Foraging activity shake up
Sarah Cross, Ashley N Mortensen, James P Sainsbury
The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand
Colony resources (nectar, pollen, brood) are established drivers of foraging activities in
honey bee colonies. Here we explore if a longstanding management practice (shook
swarming) affects the foraging behaviour of a colony. We compared the colony growth,
wax production, pollen collection, and foraging activity of colonies shaken onto waxed
plastic foundation, or drawn comb, to establish 9-frame colonies. Shook swarming has
been used as a management strategy to limit disease, interrupt brood cycles, increase
colony numbers, and remove old combs. We aim to determine if shook swarming may also
serve as a tool in managing honey bees for pollination services.
Biocontrol of giant willow aphid: an update on the operational phase of the
programme
Stephanie Sopow1, Barry Foster2, Trevor Jones3, John McLean2, Belinda Gresham1, Maria
Zhulanov1, Giovanni Mascarinas1, Ki Taurangi Bradford1
1. Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute), Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, NZ
2. ApiNZ Science & Research Focus group
3. Plant & Food Research, Palmerston North, NZ
Giant willow aphid quickly made a disagreeable name for itself throughout New Zealand,
prompting us to turn towards biocontrol as safe and sustainable method for long term
management. Through a three-year MPI Sustainable Farming Fund programme, a
promising natural enemy of giant willow aphid was located overseas, brought into
containment in New Zealand and thoroughly tested for host specificity. Approval for
release of this natural enemy, a parasitoid called Pauesia nigrovaria, was granted by the
Environmental Protection Authority in late 2019, after which a new Sustainable Food &
Fibre Futures project was created and we transitioned to the operational phase of the
project. The first releases took place in February 2020, and the release programme then
limped along during the Covid-19 lock down period which coincided with the opportune
time to target the giant willow aphid during its peak season. This led to a decision to
conduct additional releases in 2021 to ensure widespread coverage of New Zealand, as
well as surveying to determine where the parasitoid had become established and whether it
was showing signs of multiplying and spreading. A summary of these activities and some
surprising findings will be presented.
10Building Bee Capacity in NZ
Linda Newstrom-Lloyd, Angus McPherson, Ian Raine, Xun Li
The New Zealand Trees for Bees Research Trust
The need for building bee capacity has never been greater in New Zealand. Our research
results show that optimising pollen and nectar resources for better bee health and greater
bee numbers can be achieved quickly in ongoing plantings that farmers are already
installing. No set-asides are needed. Selected low maintenance trees and shrubs provide
premium bee forage and benefit other land-use operations at the same time. Our training
modules and resources provide the know-how to beekeepers, farmers and other landowners
and include how to design superior plantations and use pollen identification as a tool to
understand bee forage resources.
From soil to solution: isolating bacteriophages from the environment to combat AFB
*Danielle Kok, Heather Hendrickson
School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Albany, NZ
American Foulbrood (AFB) is a disease of honeybee larvae caused by the bacterial
pathogen Paenibacillus larvae. Using antibiotics in hives infected with P. larvae is
prohibited under NZ law. Our research looks into the use of bacteriophages as a
preventative measure against AFB. Bacteriophages are simple viruses that kill specific
bacteria. We have isolated 33 native bacteriophages by establishing plaque formation on
our pathogen. Recently I have been working on creating spores for in-vitro testing on bee
larvae, as well as working to increase the titers of our bacteriophages to enable us to extract
DNA for whole genome sequencing.
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